Conversion arrangement for sail board with seat

Abstract

A multi-functional accessory arrangement for converting a sail board into a paddling craft, rowing craft or conventional sailing craft consisting of a sail board hull having a multi-functional seat including an associated back support adapted to be adjustable between a sailing/hiking position, rowing position and paddling position said seat connected to the sail board hull permitting movement of the seat between a forward position and an aft position, a multi-functional propulsion kit for selectively transforming the sail board into a sail boat, a row boat or a kayak board said kit including a hiking device connected to the chassis for use in counter balancing heeling of the hull responsive to the action of wind acting on the sail, a pedestal console for controlling the movement of the sail board including a centerboard, a manual steering device with rigging for controlling a sail, oar locks for use with oars and boom.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-functional accessory arrangement for converting a sail board into a paddling craft, rowing craft or conventional sailing craft comprising: a) hull means comprising a sail board having a deck a forward bow end, an aft stern end, a longitudinal axis extending between said bow end and stern end, and a centerboard well;   b) a detachable, multi-functional seat with moveable back including an associated back support, adapted to be adjustable between a forward facing sailing position, an aft facing rowing position and a forward facing paddling position;   c) a chassis extending along said longitudinal axis attached to the deck for engaging said multi-functional seat permitting selective positioning of said seat on said longitudinal axis of the sail board;   d) watercraft conversion assembly means for propelling the sail board comprising a sailing subassembly, a rowing subassembly and a paddling subassembly;   e) steering means for manually steering the sail board when in motion;   f) pedestal means for controlling the movement of the sail board including a centerboard, a tiller means for controlling the rudder and rigging means for controlling the sail comprising halyard means and sheet means;   g) rowing fixture means including locks attached to the chassis;   h) step means positioned forward of the centerboard well for stepping a mast; and   i) rudder post means positioned aft of the chassis for mounting a steering means wherein stability is provided by utilizing the larger size conventional sail board assembly hulls as a hull to which can be attached to the multi-functional seat arranged in combination with one of said water craft conversion means for converting the sail board selectively into either a conventional sailing craft that is designed to be operated from a forward-facing seated position, a row boat that is arranged to be operated from an aft-facing seated position with oars or a paddling craft wherein the user is oriented in a forward-facing seated position.   
     
     
       2. The multi-functional accessory arrangement of claim 1 wherein the sailing subassembly comprises: a) sail of triangular configuration having a top edge connected to a top boom and a bottom edge connected to a bottom boom support and a free edge;   b) a mast mounted on the stepping means;   c) steering means for manually steering the sail board when in motion comprising a rudder mounted on a retractable rudder means connected by rudder linkage means to a tiller means; and   d) pedestal means for controlling the movement of the sail board including a centerboard, a tiller means for controlling the steering means and rigging means comprising a halyard means for raising the sail and a sheet means for controlling the sail.   
     
     
       3. The multi-functional accessory arrangement of claim 1 wherein the rowing subassembly comprises a pair of oars configured to associate with the locks fastened to an outrigger beam attached to the platform of the multi-functional seat, the back support is placed in the forward position, the hiking slide is locked in a mid position and the multi-functional seat is moved to the aft-facing rowing position on the chassis and fastened in place with pins. 
     
     
       4. The multi-functional accessory arrangement of claim 1 wherein employment of the paddling subassembly converts said sail board into a paddling craft wherein the multi-positional seat is positioned with the back support rest in the aft position and said seat is locked on the chassis in mid position and user is placed in a forward facing seated postion and paddling is provided by a conventional kayak paddle device. 
     
     
       5. The multi-functional seat and sail board assembly of claim 4 wherein the sail means includes a main halyard means for raising and lowering the sail on a mast mounted on a semi-rigid step means that is moveable between a starboard position, a mid position and a port position, a main sheet means connected to a boom and to a pedestal means and a steering means comprised of a rudder mounted on the stern of the sailing craft connected by actuation means to a tiller mounted on the pedestal means. 
     
     
       6. The combination seat and sail board assembly apparatus of claim 4 wherein the mast is supported on a stepping means comprised of a plate means permitting angular movement of the mast between a port position, a mid position, a second mid position and a third starboard position as selected by the user responsive to varying wind conditions acting on the sail. 
     
     
       7. The multi-functional accessory arrangement of claim 1 wherein the chassis comprises a hiking tube device for permitting the user to hike out laterally for counter balancing heeling of the hull responsive to the action of wind acting on the sail. 
     
     
       8. The multi-functional accessory arrangement of claim 1 wherein an alternate sail subassembly provides a means of reefing or shortening the sail comprising a triangular sail having a bottom edge connected to a bottom boom and a top edge connected to a top boom and a free edge, a reef member attached to said free edge by a zipper, wherein the top boom is connected to the mast of the sail board by a halyard member and said reef member consists of a truncated panel of sail material including a zipper track on an inner edge having a top and bottom end said ends being supported by boom extension members, and including extension members comprising of a first extension post adapted to engage the end of the top boom and a second extension member adapted to engage the end of the bottom boom. 
     
     
       9. The combination seat and sail board assembly of claim 1 wherein the steering means is configured for use in combination with the sailing apparatus and comprises a retractable rudder mounted on a retractable gudgeon means that is connected to an actuating arm having an aft end and a forward end said actuating arm is connected to the lever arm attached to the base of a tiller mounted on the pedestal and the tiller has a vertical shaft on which is movable fastened a horizontally extending handle means wherein movement of the handle through a transverse arc causes a corresponding movement of the rudder turning on the gudeon shaft in a corresponding transverse arc. 
     
     
       10. A hull seat arrangement for converting a sail board assembly into a sailing craft comprising: a) a hull comprising a sail board assembly having an deck and a bottom hull surface, a bow end, a stern end, and having a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, a dagger board well at a mid position on the hull along said longitudinal axis; and a transverse or athwartships axis an aft stern end;   b) seat means movably mounted on the hull for movement both along the longitudinal axis and a orthogonically oriented transverse axis comprising a platform for sitting positioned parallel to the deck and having an associated back support hingedly connected to one end of the platform, adapted to be moved through an arc between an aft tilted position for forward facing and a forward tilted position for aft facing, and including a brace for bracing the back in place;   c) chassis means for movably connecting the seat means on the deck permitting reciprocal movement of said seat along the longitudinal axis of the hull between a forward position and an aft position including hiking means for moving the seat perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis;   d) sail means for providing propulsion for the hull comprising a sail, a mast, a boom and sheet rigging for arranging the sail in relation to the wind for heading up wind and off the wind;   e) pedestal means for directing the movement of the sail board assembly craft from a sitting position by controlling steering, trimming of the sail and positioning the centerboard;   f) steering means for manually steering the sail board assembly comprising a tiller connected by shafting to a rudder;   g) step means for adjustably stepping the mast; and   h) shroud means for adjustably supporting the mast when tacking into and away from the wind to be inclined athwartships in a plurality of inclined positions wherein the sail board assembly is converted to a sailboat configured to be operated from the seated position facing forward.